Cigarette filter



Dec. 17, 1968 A. c. HOOVERJR CIGARETTE FILTER Filed Oct. 24. 1965 INVENTOR. Ali/095W C. #00 VA? JR.v

A T TOR/VF Y 3,416,541 CIGARETTE FILTER Andrew C. Hoover, Jr., 1112 N.Washington, Tacoma, Wash. 98406 Filed Oct. 24, 1965, Ser. No. 504,879 3Claims. (Cl. 131-266) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A cigarette smokefilter is added to a cigarette during manufacture and, if not, it issubsequently fitted to an end of a cigarette, extending the longitudinalconfiguration of a cigarette to include a moisture chamber composed ofan outer space which surrounds a central passageway that isinterconnected to the outer space by radial passageways, and beyond themoisture chamber, further extending the resulting overall cigaretteassembly, are a charcoal filter and a cellulose filter.

This invention pertains to filters for eliminating harmful tobaccoingredients otherwise carried by smoke to be inhaled by a cigarettesmoker.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a cigarette filter whichsuccessfully eliminates most harmful tobacco ingredients from smokebefore it reaches the mouth of a smoker by causing cigarette smoke tovaporize moisture, to pickup moisture and upon cooling down to deposittar.

This effective smoke moistening cigarette filter is constructed andoperated, both as an auxiliary accessory to be fitted by a smoker toeach of his cigarettes and as an integral part of the manufacturedcigarette.

A preferred embodiment of this cigarette filter, serving as an accessoryor cigarette holder, is illustrated in the drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a cigarette filter with portionsremoved to show its interior, without moisture added, and its alignmentfor attachment to a cigarette which is partially illustrated;

FIGURE 2 is a side view of a cigarette filter of FIG- URE l, withadditional portions removed to show, with arrows, the flow of smoke froma cigarette, shown in part, through the filter and into the mouth of aperson, whose face and hand are indicated in dotted lines; and

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view through the moisture chamber of thefilter of FIGURES 1 and 2, taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, indicatinga liquid level and arrangement of fluid passages.

The cigarette filter illustrated in these FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 is arrangedas an accessory or holder to be added to a cigarette, but as notedpreviously its structure is adaptable to its inclusion in a cigaretteduring manufac turing. In whatever precise structure, the filter may bepresented, its functioning will be as indicated in the followingdetailed description of this illustrated embodiment.

The body 10 or shell of filter 12 is of tube construction with itsinside diameter at a cigarette receiving end 14 being large enough togrip a cigarette end 16. Such end 16 is inserted partially into filter12, making an overall assembly of a filtered cigarette. This assembly isthereafter handled by a smoker through his finger grip of filter 12. Hethen utilizes the overall assembly of filter 12 and cigarette 18 in likemanner to his use of any cigarette, but thereafter having the benefit ofa filtering action of this filter 12.

Besides first cigarette receiving end portion 14, filter 12 has threebasic additional portions. The second portion 22 of these located beyondcigarette end 16, confronts cigarette smoke to control its flow, in,around, through, and out of this second portion 22 which is partiallyfilled with a liquid 24. The third portion 28 is an in line charnitedStates Patent Patented Dec. 17, 1968 ice coal filtering unit 30. Thefourth portion 32 is an in line white cellulose filter 34. I

To make this in line arrangement of filtering agents very effective,second portion 22, has a major central tunnel 40 through its centerwhich flares outwardly at each end to the inside diameter of filter 12forming a funnel entry 42 and exit 44. At locations along tunnel 40 orconduit 40 are-radially directed passageways or nozzles 50. The nozzlesproject into an otherwise completely enclosed airy and moisture chamber52, which is formed around conduit or tunnel 40 within body or shell 10of filter 12 and terminated at each of its ends by funnel entry 42 andfunnel exit 44.

Liquid 24, such as water, is stored in chamber 52 preferably at theillustrated level where it will remain regardless of positioning offilter 12. Nozzles 50 are not placed near any end of moisture filtersection 22 so unassisted or unintentional moisture loss through drippingor direct flow is avoided.

As indicated by flow arrows in FIGURE 2, when a cigarette 18 is burningat one end 56, and is being smoke-d, smoke flows into funnel 42 enteringtunnel 40 or conduit 40. While attempting to pass on through, sufficientvolume of such flow is by-passed through nozzles 50 to warm and vaporizewater 24 in moisture chamber 52. The vapor mixes with the smoke andresulting moisture laden nicotine and tars being dropped from the smokestream and entrapped in filter portion 22. Additional moisture iscarried by smoke returning through other follow on nozzles 50 resultingin mixing moisture throughout the entire flow of smoke through moisturefilter section or portion 22.

When a smoker is not drawing on his filtered cigarette, smoke in conduit40 enters the radial passageways or nozzles 50 and goes on into chamber52 in the same manner that smoke fills all portions of a room whenpersons are extensively smoking, for example, in a conference room. Thenwhen a smoker draws in smoke the venturi effect pulls moisture ladensmoke from chamber 52 back through radial passageways or nozzles 50 andinto conduit 40 further dampening all smoke passing directly throughconduit 40 during the draw.

This dampened smoke is further filtered and dried as it is drawn throughcharcoal filter 30 and initially white cellulose filter 34. As theremaining moisture is further withdrawn, additional harmful ingredientsentrained in and by the moisture are also removed. Smoke leaving thiscigarette filter is drier and free of many portions of ingredients whichare considered harmful in unfiltered smoke.

I claim:

1. A cigarette smoke filter having a body providing:

(a) an end portion for receiving the end of a cigarette,

(b) a second portion downstream from said end portion, said secondportion including a central tunnel portion of reduced diameter andhaving outwardly flared end portions, the maximum diameter of the endportions substantially equalling the internal diameter of the filterbody, said central tunnel portion providing with the filter body achamber filled in part below its center with a liquid, said tunnelportion being further provided with radial passageways between thereduced diameter portion and the chamber wall to receive and guide smokeinto the chamber whereby the smoke in the chamber is moisturized andthen passes back into the central tunnel.

2. A cigarette filter, as claimed in claim 1, having (c) a furtherfiltering portion downstream from said second portion for mechanicallyfiltering the moisturized smoke.

3. A cigarette filter, as claimed in claim 2, wherein said furtherfilter portion includes a third portion downstream from said secondportion, said third portion containing charcoal particles and a finalportion following said third 3,318,315 5/ 1967 Orter 131-17 3 X portionand including cellulose material. 3,318,316 5/1967 Banderas et a1. 13110.7 X

Referenccs Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 LUCIE H. LAUDENSLAGER, PrzmaryExammer. 3,125,100 3/1964 Jany 131-173 X US. Cl. X.R.

3,251,365 5/1966 Keith 6161 131 10.7 3,315,687 4/1967 Menges 131-173X

